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APPARATUS FOR T EMPERII TG AND CONVERTING IRON. No. 192,239. PatentedJune 19,1877.

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APPARATUS FOR IE.'I\IPETR.IN'G AND CONVERTING IRON. No. 192,239, 7Patented J'une19,1877.

N-PETERS, FHOTO-LFTHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON, D C.

Unirrnn snares CHARLES DION, OF OHAMBLY BASIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HISRIGHT TO JAMES BAYLIS, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATU$ FOR TEMPERING AND CONVERTING IRON.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. H$2,239, dated June 19,1877; application filed September 22, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES DION, of the village of Ohambly Basin, inthe county of Ohambly and Province of Quebec, Canada, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements on Apparatus for the Treatment ofIron and Steel; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention is primarily for the purpose of tempering steel or iron,whether the same be in the form of wire, plates, cutting-ed ges, or anyother shape into which these metals may be worked, and it enables thisprocess to be performed far more effectually than by any means yet inuse, the temperature of the furnace wherein the operation is carried outbeing automatically regulated and kept to the sam degree of heat.

My invention will also be found applicable to, and useful in, theconversion of iron wire into steel.

-It may be briefly described as follows:

Above the furnace proper is placed a tempering-chamber, wholly coveringa hot-chamber or bath of molten lead or other substance, and, partiallyso, a small water-tank, the portion of this latter which remains outsidethe chamber forming a seal, and not allowing the outside air to enter.Within this chamber is arranged mechanism which, when put in motion,dips alternately into each bath the plate or article to be tempered, atthe same time closing up whichever bath happens not to be in use. A-pyrometer placed in a tube in connection with the hot-air chamber orlead-bath is furnished with a pointer and dial to register thetemperature, and, should it rise above the desired point, certaindevices which I have arranged for the purpose operate to automaticallycut off the blast from under the grate and to turn it into the upperpart of the firechamber, thus reducing the heat; or, on the contrarysupposition-v3. 0., that the temperature is not sufficiently high-theblast is automatically, by the same means, turned on under the grate.

Wire is tempered by being drawn through a tube peculiarly arranged, andrunning from end-to end of the hot-chamber, the wire thence passing outinto water, oil, or any fluid, without entering the external air.

Instead of being conducted into this fluid, the wire, on leaving thehot-chamber, may be brought in contact with a blast of air impelled by afan-blower or any other device.

For fuller comprehension, however, of my invention, reference must behad to the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows a verticalsectional elevation of my invention, taken transversely through thewater-tank and hot-chamber; Fig. 2, a vertical sectional elevation,taken longitudinally through the firechamber Fig. 3, a horizontalsection through the fire -chamber; Fig. 4,2. sectional elevation,showing modification of hot-chamber, &c.; Fig. 5, plan view of same;Fig. 6, detail of wire-tube; Figs. 7, 8, and'9, front, plan, and sideviews, respectively, of pyrometer, enlarged; Fig. 10, side view ofapparatus for directing draft; Fig. 11, a front view of same; Fig. 12,plan view of apparatus, looking up; Fig. 13, view showing arrangement ofcold-blast for wire.

Similar letters of reference indicate like.

parts.

A is a metal chamber of any size and proportion, flauged so as to besecured to' the brick-work inclosin g the furnace B, to be here inaftermore particularly described, and provided with door A.

G is av shaft passing transversely through the chamber A, and, as shown,carried out either on one or both sides, where it maybe provided with asuitable handle for rotation. Upon this shaft 0 are secured arms D, thelower ends of which are enlarged, and have pinions formed upon them, asshown at D.

These pinions intermesh with and WOIk in the racks E formed on the plateE, to correspond with them, and thus give this plate a forward orbackward movement on the rails or slides F arranged on the main plate orcover G.

Through the eyes d, formed on the outer ends of the arms D, runs a rod,H, secured in any suitable way against lateral movement, to which ishung loosely (so as to be always vertical, whatever angle the arms D Dmay assume) the plate I, arranged'to receive the article to be tempered,and which dips alter nately in the hot chamber or bath K (which may befilled with molten metal) and the tank L, this last being'placed whereshown in the drawings, projecting somewhat beyond the inclosure of thechamber A, and having there an open trough, through which it may bereplenished, an outlet-pipe being also provided. The plate I dips intothis tank through an opening formed in the plate G, a diaphragm,

' L, dipping down into the tank, and forming a perfect seal.

The bath K is preferably of some such section as that shown in Fig. 1,having its ends extended so as to be built into the brick-work of thefurnace, and having, as shown at K, Fig. 2, an opening communicatingwith the outside and provided with a proper door. through which a rakeor scoop may be passed to remove that part of the lead which has becomeoxidized.

The furnace B, in which the bath K is set, is arranged as shown in Figs.1 and 2, having proper feed door b, fire bars I), ash-pit door bandash-pit b the bars being arran ged so as to be shaken or tipped atpleasure. To insure the uniform heating of the lead contained in thebath K, the products of combustion'are, preferably, first taken up intoa flue, B running along the back of the chamber A, thence passing downthrough its extension B and the flue B on their way to the chimney,which may be placed in any convenient spot. Should, however, the size ofthe furnace besuch as to give a heat which will not necessitate this,the products of combustion may be carried directly from the furnace tothe chimney-flue.

M i's the coal-chute, provided with the proper cover M, and constructedsubstantially as shown.

Within the bath K,and stretching transversely through it from side toside, but not communicating in any way with its contents, is placed acastiron or other metal pipe, N, containing within it a rod, N in whichis formed a groove, N Along this the wire to be tempered passes, beingunwound by any suitable means from a drum placed on one side of thefurnace, and, on leaving this, is

' takendown through the tube or passage N into the 'bath 0, which maycontain water, oil, or any other suitable fluid. On its exit from thisthe wire, which'has, as yet, not come in contact with the external air,is wound up in any usual way upon another drum. (Not shown in thedrawings.)

Instead of the arrangement above described, the bath 0 may "be omittedand the passage N carried along'to the outside of the brick work, anair-passage, N being constructed at an angle to it, and the pipe N beingenlarged at their junction. Through this air-channel N air at anytemperature is blownby means of a fan-blower, N driven in any ordinaryway.

In Figs. 2A and 5 is shown a modified construction of the chamber A andbath K, which,

in this instance, is provided with a cover, k, properly secured to theplate G, in which are formed four apertures, two, 9, being placed at oneend to allow the products of combustion to pass up into the chamber A,and two, gg, down which they are taken to the chimneyflue.

Within the bath Kis also placed the pyrometer, which is shown in detailin Figs. 7, 8, and 9, and will now be described.

P is an iron tube passing through the bath or hot-chamber K, secured atboth ends, so as not to allow the hot inetal'to pass, and having one endclosed. Into this closed end is screwed a tube, P of brass, copper, orother metal which is more expansive under heat than iron, and into theend of this tube again is screwed a rod of steel or iron,P ,having itsend turned up, as shown at P Upon the tube P is mounted a rack-bar, Q,provided with a spring, q, to keep it tightly pressed down, soas tointermesh with a pinion, R, the spindle r of which passes through theend P of the rod 1., and carries on its further extremity a pointer, S,moving with the pinion R, and having its stem made of some materialwhich does not conduct electricity.

The end S of the pointer is formed with a springing piece of metal orother device, so as always to remain in contact with the face of theplate T, to be presently described, and its inner end is arranged toreceive two wires, 8 s, the negative poles of two magnets.

The dial T, which may be either a solid disk or as shown in the drawing,is mounted upon a sleeve, it, through which the spindle 7' runs, andwhich is secured firmly to the turned-up end P Upon any point of thecircumference of the dial, and arranged so as to be completely isolatedfrom it, is placed a plate, T, secured by a screw, or in any usual way,divided up into two parts by non-conductin g material, each of theseparts forming the end of the positive pole of a magnet.

To'the door U of the blasts is secured, as shown in Figs. 2 and 10, aframe, U, in the uprightvpart of which is formed a bearing for a shaft,V, passing through the b1ast-door,'and carrying on its inner end thedamper V, rotating with the shaft always in the same direction, andarranged to close eitherone of the apertures in the door whichcommunicates with the upper and lower blast-ports W W. This shaft passesout beyond the frame, and is provided-with a handle for the purpose ofwinding up on a drum, X, mounted on the shaft, a line weighted at itsfree end.

Upon this shaft V is also secured an escapement-rod, Y, having one endbent so as to form a hook, y, to engage with a corresponding hook, 2,formed on the end of an armature, Z, to be presently referred to, "theother end (marked 3 of this rod engaging with a correspondingprojection, 2, formed on the armature.

The armature Z is secured to the projecting support lattachedtothe-frame U in such a way as to allow it to turn, a correspondingarmature, Z, being secured to itat right angles to Z. 2 2 and 3 3 areelectro-magnets, each connected with asuitablebattery the wires of theirnegative poles being taken to suitableway, so as to give a seat for thegrate to rest in, and at the same time cutoff all communication betweenthe upper and lower blasts. g Upon the shaftV is placed loosely atoothed wheel, 4, in the teeth of which works a double lever, 5, likethe escapement of a watch, pivoted at the end of a Weighted rod, 6, andup: on the shaft is fixed a smaller ra tchet,'7, in the teeth of whichworksa pawl pivoted to the large wheel 4, and held in place by aspring,the whole arrangement being similar to that of an alarm-clock; or anyother equivalent device may be adopted for regulating the motion. I willnow proceed to describe'the operation of my invention.

The parts being arrangedas shown in the drawings, and the article to betempered, if a the point desired the pointer S falls back to plate orcutting-edge, being secured on the plate I, the shaft 0 is rotated, thusgradually lowering the plate into the metal bath or hotehamber K, thepinion D, by the same movement, working in the rack E, and pushingforward the plate E along the rail F until it assumes the position shownin Fig. 1, completely closing the water-tank L.

When it is considered that the article has remained long enough in thebath K the shaft (3 is rotated in the opposite direction, thus liftingthe plate I out of the bath, raising it to the position shown in Fig. 2,and then lowering it into the tank L, the plate E at the same time, bythe action of the piuions D in the racks E, being run backward until itcompletely covers the opening of the bath K, its elevation on the railsF preventing it from being stopped by any splashes of molten metal onthe plate G. Fresh water may be constantly introduced through theoutside opening of the tank L, the outlet-pipe'running off any surplus.

The plate I may be raised from the tank and again dipped into the bath,and the whole operation be repeated as often as desired, according tothe article to be tempered.

The bath K may be filled with molten lead or other metal, or be merelyheated to a certain degree of temperature, and the tank L contain oil orother fluid instead of water.

So long as the temperature of the metal or heated air contained in thebath or hot-chamber K does not rise beyond a certain point theblast-regulating apparatus will keep the open, thus bringing the blastto the under side, of the grate.

As soon as, however, the heat of'the bath.

K-rises above a certain degree,=(the mark of Y which on the dial willcoincide with that of 1 the division in the plate T,) the tube P, ex-

panding more than the rod P causes the rack Q to rotate the pinion B,making the i pointer b to advance till it passes the divisionline in theplate T, thus cutting off the currents from the magnets marked 3 3, andforming a-eircuit'withthose marked 2 2.

By this means the armature. Z is attracted Y to the magnets 2 2, thecorresponding armature Z being no longer influenced by the magnets 3 3,and the projection z is thus disengaged from the end 3 of the rod Y,which, by means of the weighted line onthe drum X, is revolved so as tomake one complete half-turn, the hook 3 on the end of, the rod Y thenengaging with that, 2, formed on the under side of the armature.

'It will, of course, beseen that the damper 'V, mounted on the shaft V,and rotating with'it, will, by this halfturn, cutofl' the blast ffromunder the grate and open the port W leading into the fire-chamber.

When the heat of the bath W falls below its former position on the othersideof the dividing-line in the plate T, thus forming a circuit with themagnets 3 3 and cutting off that with the magnets 2 2-, releasing thearmature Z and bringing that marked Z in contact with the magnets 3 3.The hook 9 being thus disengaged from the corresponding hook z, theescapement-rod, shaft, and damper, as before described, perform therevolution of half a circle till the end of the rod comes in contactwith the projection z, the upper blastport W being thus closed, and thelower, W, opened.

The escapement movement and double'ratchet-wheel above described assistin governing and regulating the above action.

The action above described will be repeated at intervals while thefurnace is in work, according as the rise and fall ofthe temperature ofthe heated chamber actuates the parts.

- When wire is to be tempered it is taken off a drum rotated a beltfrom. a take'up drum, (on which the Wire, when tempered, is wound,) andis drawn very slowly along the groove N in the rod N placed iutho tubeN, at no point coming in contact with the heated air or molten metalcontained in the chamber K. The wire is then drawn down the passage Ninto the bath 0 of oil or water, and the operation should be repeated ina similar furnace at a lower degree of heat to complete the 'operationof tempering.

The same conditions as to the process of tempering the wire will holdgood when the air-passage-N and blower are substituted for the bath 0.

The process of tempering the wire in the bath constructed as shown inFigslet and 5 will be identical with that first described. Thismodification of furnace is, however, only adapted for wire-tempering,the heat being arranged to completely envelop the bath- To convert ironwire into. steel I fill the bath K with molten iron, placing in it, bypreference, guides, along which and through the metal the iron to beoperated upon is drawn, the tube N and rod N being in this case omitted.

I refrain from making claim, in this specification, upon the mechanismintermediate between the pyrometer-rod and the damper, and reserve theright to cover the novel features thereof by another patent.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination,in the tempering-chamber A, of the transverse shaft, operating, by meansof projecting arms holding the rod, from which hangs the carrying-plate,to dip alternately into a hot-chamber and tank the article to betempered, as herein set forth.

2. The combination, substantially as specified, of the tempering-furnaceA, the shaft C, and the cover-plate E, reciprocated by means of pinionsD and rack O.

3. The combination, with the tempering chamber A, of the tank L, havingdiaphragm L, and arranged substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

4. In combination with the furnace-chamber B and tempering-chamber A,the flues B 6. The combination of the tube N and rod N with groove N asherein described.

7. In an apparatus for tempering iron and steel, the combination,substantially as specified, of the tempering-bath, the pyrometer, andthe damper controlling the draft of the furnace.

8. The combination, with a furnace-chamber and ash-pit, of upperand-lower blastflues, communicating, respectively, with them, and openedand closed automatically by the rise and fall of the temperature of thefurnace.

Montreal, 12th day' of September, 1876.

CHAS. DION. Witnesses:

FRAS. HY. REYNOLDS, W. DE M. MARBER.

